*This is a transcript of actual events
I'm sitting at the kitchen table typing out a message on my laptop. I can hear Avery somewhere close by but I can't see her. She's talking to herself or her imaginary friend, I can't tell which.
Me: Av? What are you doing?
Avery: Pooping.
Me: Oh. Are you done?
Avery: Yes.
Me: Do you need some help?
Avery: Yes.
Me: Why didn't you call me?
Avery: (sounding very exasperated, like maybe she's rolling her eyes at me) Mommy! Because I thought you'd hear it!
Me: (now walking into the bathroom) How would I hear it?
Avery: Because it went SPLASH!
Me: Nice.
Avery: I bet it's big.
Me: You are your father's daughter.
Ahhhh. The joys of motherhood.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
How We Met...
Unbelievably, today is the ten year anniversary of the day Rob and I met. I can't believe it's been ten years! Sometimes it seems like a really long ten years, sometimes it feels like it's flown by. I've been thinking a lot about it lately, this anniversary of ours. We've had kind of rough year. Most of it is too personal to talk about in a public blog, but let's just say we've been tested in numerous ways over the last year and we've pulled through. He's the best friend I've ever had. Nobody knows me like Rob does and he continues to put up with me after all this time, and vice versa. I can't imagine my life without him, despite wanting to throttle him from time to time.....to time.
So here's the story of how we met.
On Tuesday, July 18, 2000 I went to work in Lithia Springs like any other day. There was a newer girl at work who sat right by me. She'd been there maybe a month. I liked her - she was a little younger than me, a lot more irresponsible, a touch crazy, and a lot of fun. Her name? Rachel Essley. Before her first day of work I was talking to the woman who trained newbies and we were commenting on how unusual her last name was and the fact that she was from Wyoming. Her training complete, she was placed in close proximity to me and we got along well.
From the start she continually commented on how much her brother would like me. Um, no thanks. I was 23 at the time and had had my share of blind dates/creepy dates/crappy men/guy friends who wanted more, etc. and I had pretty much given up on finding myself a good boyfriend. I had thought myself desperately in love with a guy when I was 20-21 and living in Stone Mountain and pretty much every other male paled in comparison. I wasn't interested. I was tired of the game of dating and didn't care to play anymore, at least for awhile. On this particular Tuesday, I overheard Rachel on the phone with someone. She was saying how she was having a bunch of people over after work, including me. Me? I looked over at her and she just smiled and continued her conversation. When she hung up she explained how she was having a bunch of friends over and she wanted me to come over. Tuesdays I got off work at 5 so I buzzed home, changed clothes, freshened up and headed over to Rachel's. When I arrived, guess who was standing in the doorway behind her with a big grin on his face? I immediately blushed, fully knowing this was going to happen.
And so we talked. He was nice - kind, cute, very talkative. Several other people showed up and we somehow all ended up back at my apartment hanging out. It became clear that this whole thing was orchestrated so that Rob and I would meet so shortly thereafter everyone else left. We spent the entire evening talking and getting to know each other. He even took my trash out for me (as he reminded me this morning) and when I drove him home around 11:30 that night he was a perfect gentleman.
We spent the next day talking more than I though humanly possible on the phone and had our first official date the day after that. Again, we talked and talked and talked. We went out to dinner and then spent probably 3 hours sitting in my car listening to music and talking. We've been inseparable ever since. I never felt much of a need to edit myself around Rob. I could be me, good and bad, and he accepted and liked me anyway. We genuinely liked being around each other. I wanted to spend all my time with him. He didn't have unrealistic expectations of me like so many people in my life at the time did - it was important to him that I was happy. So many people wanted me to make sure my behavior made them happy so naturally I was attracted to a person who wanted me to be nothing but myself.
Perhaps the most shocking realization of being with Rob was the the guy I thought I was so in love with years earlier? Not so much anymore. Unrequited love isn't really love, I discovered. It pales in comparison when you have someone who really loves you back. Not to mention I felt about a million times more for Rob than I had ever felt for anyone else. He quickly became the most important person in my life. A few months later when I needed a place to live he didn't hesitate to say "hey, move in with me!" which is a rather shocking amount of commitment for a 21 year old male.
Since then, we've lived in a lot of different places and been through a lot emotionally together. We've had in-law issues and job issues; money issues and housing issues. We've had a baby together and, last year, lost a baby together. We've had a life. Up and down, good and bad, high and low. For better and for worse. It's been really really wonderful.
Rob, I never knew anything about love before you. I'm so grateful to have spent the last decade of my life with you.
I love you.
So here's the story of how we met.
On Tuesday, July 18, 2000 I went to work in Lithia Springs like any other day. There was a newer girl at work who sat right by me. She'd been there maybe a month. I liked her - she was a little younger than me, a lot more irresponsible, a touch crazy, and a lot of fun. Her name? Rachel Essley. Before her first day of work I was talking to the woman who trained newbies and we were commenting on how unusual her last name was and the fact that she was from Wyoming. Her training complete, she was placed in close proximity to me and we got along well.
From the start she continually commented on how much her brother would like me. Um, no thanks. I was 23 at the time and had had my share of blind dates/creepy dates/crappy men/guy friends who wanted more, etc. and I had pretty much given up on finding myself a good boyfriend. I had thought myself desperately in love with a guy when I was 20-21 and living in Stone Mountain and pretty much every other male paled in comparison. I wasn't interested. I was tired of the game of dating and didn't care to play anymore, at least for awhile. On this particular Tuesday, I overheard Rachel on the phone with someone. She was saying how she was having a bunch of people over after work, including me. Me? I looked over at her and she just smiled and continued her conversation. When she hung up she explained how she was having a bunch of friends over and she wanted me to come over. Tuesdays I got off work at 5 so I buzzed home, changed clothes, freshened up and headed over to Rachel's. When I arrived, guess who was standing in the doorway behind her with a big grin on his face? I immediately blushed, fully knowing this was going to happen.
And so we talked. He was nice - kind, cute, very talkative. Several other people showed up and we somehow all ended up back at my apartment hanging out. It became clear that this whole thing was orchestrated so that Rob and I would meet so shortly thereafter everyone else left. We spent the entire evening talking and getting to know each other. He even took my trash out for me (as he reminded me this morning) and when I drove him home around 11:30 that night he was a perfect gentleman.
We spent the next day talking more than I though humanly possible on the phone and had our first official date the day after that. Again, we talked and talked and talked. We went out to dinner and then spent probably 3 hours sitting in my car listening to music and talking. We've been inseparable ever since. I never felt much of a need to edit myself around Rob. I could be me, good and bad, and he accepted and liked me anyway. We genuinely liked being around each other. I wanted to spend all my time with him. He didn't have unrealistic expectations of me like so many people in my life at the time did - it was important to him that I was happy. So many people wanted me to make sure my behavior made them happy so naturally I was attracted to a person who wanted me to be nothing but myself.
Perhaps the most shocking realization of being with Rob was the the guy I thought I was so in love with years earlier? Not so much anymore. Unrequited love isn't really love, I discovered. It pales in comparison when you have someone who really loves you back. Not to mention I felt about a million times more for Rob than I had ever felt for anyone else. He quickly became the most important person in my life. A few months later when I needed a place to live he didn't hesitate to say "hey, move in with me!" which is a rather shocking amount of commitment for a 21 year old male.
Since then, we've lived in a lot of different places and been through a lot emotionally together. We've had in-law issues and job issues; money issues and housing issues. We've had a baby together and, last year, lost a baby together. We've had a life. Up and down, good and bad, high and low. For better and for worse. It's been really really wonderful.
Rob, I never knew anything about love before you. I'm so grateful to have spent the last decade of my life with you.
I love you.
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